Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

ROAD RACE World Championship Superbike Road Race'Series Round 12: Phillip Island, Australia (Left) Mike Hale ended up sixth In the second leg after running off the track in race one. (Above - left to right) Fogarty. Gobert and Corser celebrate their second-leg results. Bri~fly-----:•••_ The.biggest news to come from Philljp Istand was of cou rse the news that Anthony Gobert had si.gned up with ·the Muzzy Kawasaki team for another year. "I' want to get the title in 1.996 .and. then move on to the Grands Prix," the 20-year-old Australian said after having announced his 'decision on Sunday afternoon. Gobert, who made hi's debut on the Kawasaki exactly one year. before, had also considered ·offers fiom Castroi Honda, Ducati an'd Suzuki for the' Worle Superb ike series 'and from 'the Pileri Honda team ior the 'Grands Prix. Fellow Australian Mat 'Mladln now seems to be one 0.1 the candidates for a factory Suzuki.' . "] felt confident going into both races," the young Aussie said. "But after the first race, I started to worry when the bike started vibrating again in the second part of the second race and the tires started sliding. ] thought] was going to have to retire again. ] backed off a little, and then Carl (Fogarty) came past. When I saw he was struggling as much as r did, ] decided that I had to go, no matter what" esteo,' Fogarty said. "But as I have to decide cerning his racing budget. Piergiorgio BontemNow tha.t Fogarty. is certain to leave the .team and a deal with Spencer seems very unlikely, what superbike is concerned before November pJ anQ/or Fabrizio Piroilano ar.e the riders most Ferrari has no real 'candidates for the world 1, I don't have enough time to wait on a deci" likely to man the. Bertocc!)i. Kawasaki(s) in . title in 1996. According to some, Ducati is not sian from Roberts. I'm.thankfui for the opportu- . 1996. likely to step. in and give tM Italian manager njties Ducati have given me the last couple of mbre money. wiih Troy Corser and Mike Hale years and the two titles I won with them, but I Racing veteran Rob Phillis made .his racing in the Promotor team, Ducati can already need a change to fino a new challenge' and comeback in Phillip Island after his la~t internacount on the services of two top-level riders. new motivation." Fogarty also received an offer tional race. in the German Superbike Champi· On top of that,' Promotor pays for the support from Yamaha's World Superbike team after the' onship at the enc;l of last year. Phillis, th.ird irr they get from Ducati and Ferrari does not. For Indonesian round. the' World ChampiOnship in 1991- and 1992, obvious reasons, it is a very' attractive option took part 'in a national Harley-Dr. qne of them is obviously Cas- . ert to be used in n~xt year's World'Superbike' .in tl1e surprise move of the year just before. the trol, another one is a tobacco firm that has con-. series. The first test sessions with the new Phillip Island round. And just after having tacted us, and a third is a potential competitQr bikes have been scheduled for the month of secured the Australian Superb.ike ti.tle again, to Castrol. A decision will be made around the November. Four identical bikes will also be . things look to be happening again for the team. · 15th of November." The question as to who will built fQr Mike Smith and Doug Chandler, who ·First rider Kirk McCarthy has to make do with ride the factory Hondas in 1996 wiil be will, try to conquer the AMA Superbi~e titje in only one R.C45, equipped with a 1.994 kit arrd answered in. two weeks. Aaron Slight signed a 1996. Furthermore, the MUllY team is considsome electrical and electronic bits from ·the new one-year contract with Honda on Saturday . 'ering moving jts European racing headquarters 1994 factory bike .. Additionally, Honda's morning before the final practice sessions at away from Germany.. "Ifs just a matter of conpromise at the beginning of the season to proPhillip· Island. Officially, three more candidates venience," MUllY explained in Phillip Island. vide the team with f~1I factory bikes for the last were being conSidered for the second bike' "Up to now, the mechanics have been working couple of national races and 'some World when Cycle News vient to press. "After Simon on ·the premises of the German Kawasaki Superbike' races (including the Phillip Island · Crafar opted to go to Kawasaki, there are stHI importer. But as they otten work late and the . rpurid), was withdrawn after Ihe 'Suw~a Eight three names left, one of whom is a top Grano- available space there is actually too limited foi Hour weekend because of a lack of budget. It · .Prix rider. On November 1 we \ViII annOUnce a'proper workshop., we:re looking 'at other pos- .' didn't ~top McCarthy from finishing eighth in,' who will be Aaron'~ teammate." sibilities in Europe:~ . . the first heat. Some riders still haven't signed contracts for next. year, but the man in the biggest trpuble in World Su'perbike racing is Virginia' Ferrari. "The Castiglione brothers might have 'Iost their patience with Cari WOlfarty)," Ferr"ii said jn .Phillip Island on Friday. "We are. very keen to keep him, but he has delayed ·his decision so often, that we have to star) thinking about a replacement for him." Qf all the candidates Ferrari bad talked ·to until then, only Anthony Gobert seemed Iikeiy to meet the high eXPEl

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